


Moonlit Sea Glass

by SleepySsnail



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe Mermaid, Ballroom Dancing, Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Presents, Childhood Friends, Dancing, Fluff, Full Moon, Gen, Light Angst, Lotor (Voltron) Being an Asshole, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mer AU, MerMay, Minor Hunk/Lance (Voltron), Miscommunication, Misunderstandings, Moon, Mutual Pining, Oblivious Shiro (Voltron), Ocean, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pining Shiro (Voltron), Protective Shiro (Voltron), Shiro (Voltron) is a Mess, Shiro (Voltron)-centric, Shiro Birthday Exchange 2020, Siren Keith (Voltron), Siren Shiro (Voltron), Sirens, Sort Of, Stars, Supportive Allura (Voltron), kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:26:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,915
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22950073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SleepySsnail/pseuds/SleepySsnail
Summary: Shiro always broke the ocean's surface to celebrate his birthday with the stars, and Keith always came with him. So with another birthday approaching and his crush on Keith growing by the day, Shiro can't wait to see the stars with his best friend. But with tensions high in the kingdom and the visit from a neighboring prince who seems to seek Keith's affection, Shiro's attention turns to something more important than himself. Keeping Keith from being courted by someone who doesn't love him.Or: Mer Shiro pines over Keith and tries to protect him from Lotor's advances.
Relationships: Allura & Shiro (Voltron), Hunk & Shiro (Voltron), Keith/Shiro (Voltron), Matt Holt & Shiro
Comments: 7
Kudos: 96
Collections: Shiro Birthday Exchange 2020





	Moonlit Sea Glass

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Gossamer](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gossamer/gifts).



> I had so much fun writing this for Gossamer for the Shiro Birthday VLD exchange! I really liked the idea of just fluffy mermaid sheith with some...trouble thrown into the mix. I hope you enjoy this I just had so much fun making this happen!

The first time Shiro celebrated his birthday above the waves, the sky had been clear. It was rare for a mer to be born on the skipped day, especially during a lunar eclipse, but Shiro never thought anything of it. The day didn’t make him any more special than any other mer, and the eclipse merely meant that he had been born on a special day when the moon disappeared.

But it was still amazing for the eight year old to be allowed above the surface to view the stars and the moon for his birthday. Shiro loved tracking the patterns of the stars and moons of the world, and with little to no prompting he had delved deep into the knowledge the kingdom had to offer him.

So when Shiro let his arms rest atop the ocean’s waters, allowing himself to be swayed from side to side by the waves and the currents, he hadn’t taken his eyes off the sky. With the pale silver light of the moon shining down and reflecting off the inky black of the endless sea, Shiro made up his mind that he’d spend every one of his birthdays above the surface, even if only for a few minutes, so he could bask in the stars and swim as close as he could get to the beautiful mysteries he longed to see more of.

* * *

“You’re zoning out again,” Keith said, punching Shiro’s shoulder, “Focus. You’re always saying I’m the careless one.”

Snapping to attention at his friend’s words, Shiro shook himself from his memories and focused on the task at hand. Exploring shipwrecks and abandoned coves wasn’t an unusual activity to do when Keith was around, but it was more important when they were looking for different treasures and interesting finds.

“Sorry,” Shiro whispered, beating his tail to match Keith’s pace, “I got distracted.”

Smirking at the comment, Keith shot Shiro a look of amusement before saying, “You can think about your birthday later. It’s even for another month.”

Sighing at how well Keith knew him, Shiro made a small sound of acknowledgment before taking the lead. Even though he was older by a few years, that didn’t make Shiro better at scouting things and finding objects than Keith. With his scavenger background, born of an altean mer and one from the deeper parts of the sea who lived off other animals, Keith had a keen eye for spotting things others would overlook.

But it was still disappointing how some mer refused to accept Keith into the community even after Allura welcomed him with open arms and made it clear he was a friend, but Shiro knew that old prejudices died hard. Years had passed since Keith arrived and was welcomed in, most of his scales a pale pink while others had begun maturing into what would later become the most beautiful shade of red, but Shiro stayed by Keith’s side as his friend since the beginning and wouldn’t leave him no matter how hard things got.

”Look!” Keith said, already diving down to the sand, his crimson tail flashing with the action.

Smiling as Keith dove down to grab whatever caught his interest, Shiro couldn’t help but admire his friend’s striking coloring. It was easy to appreciate the merfolk whose vibrant scales stood out, but Keith’s bold personality was represented in his fin color. From the bottom of Keith’s strong tail leading up to where the scales faded into skin, deep red lightened out until it was bright and eye-catching. Even the scales littering Keith’s shoulders, forearms, and the backs of his hands had the same gradient pattern, staying darker at the end of his extremities before lightening out as they reached his torso.

Seeing Keith move was something that captivated Shiro, especially with how Keith seemed to cut through the water with no regard to the currents. Biting his lip as Keith flashed him a smile before examining his prize, Shiro tried to get the thought of Matt’s teasing about his crush out of his head. It had been almost two years since Shiro came to terms with loving his best friend more than friends should, and it had been two years since he decided he wouldn’t act on his feelings unless Keith felt the same. But that didn’t stop Shiro from getting hopeful at the subtle hints Keith gave off, or maybe he was willingly misinterpreting those signs.

But once again, Shiro’s train of thought was thrown off course by Keith rejoining him with a wide grin.

“Look,” Keith said, shoving something hard into Shiro’s palm, “It’s purple!”

Turning the sea glass over, Shiro let out a breath of wonder at the object. Out of everyone he knew, only Keith had the ability to find shells and sea glass of the most vibrant colors and shades. This one was deep and rich, almost rivaling the deep purple scales on Shiro’s shoulders and arm, its worn-down edges smooth to the touch.

Handing the glass back, Shiro smiled and said, “That’s a good one.”

“Good?” Keith snorted, placing the object in one of his belt pouches, “It’s one of the best I’ve found all week. Honestly I thought you were paying attention.”

“I always pay attention to your finds,” Shiro said as they began the swim back, “Like those black shells you found last week. Those were cool.”

They really were. It was almost funny how Keith searched for things that matched his friends’ scale colors to make them gifts when he wasn’t good at the construction of them, but it was endearing to a fault. Now, with Keith wearing five bracelets of his friends’ scale colors, Shiro understood why he often searched for more materials to make the accessories. It was one of the ways Keith learned to fit in and become one of the community instead of keeping a distance and isolating himself.

“Your hair’s coming loose,” Keith said, slowing in his pace to tuck a loose strand behind Shiro’s ear.

While Keith’s hair was black and floated around his face and shoulders, Shiro’s had grown out to his upper back, one stark white streak standing out near the front. He originally intended on keeping it short, but after some pleading from Matt to, “Just try it,” and Keith’s compliments that it suited him, Shiro hadn’t had the heart to cut it. And considering how it was near impossible to braid with one hand, Keith usually did it for him.

Shrugging, Shiro cocked his head to the side and asked, “Fix it later?”

The smirk on Keith’s face was more than enough for Shiro to know that the answer was a yes.

* * *

Out of the many places Shiro had been, Hunk’s forges held a special feeling to them that he couldn’t explain. It was a wonder how for years, different masters of the forge harnessed the mysterious underwater heat and used it to make things. Weaponry, tools, and even Allura’s gold circlet had been produced in the forges, all by mer who had a deeper connection to the metals than anyone else.

Hunk was one of those skilled mer, talented in forging and using his skills to bring his visions to life by molding and carving away at the materials he had been given. The forges held a beauty to them that Shiro had a hard time understanding, but he could understand why Hunk spent so much time working there. Hunk’s forge was large, with shelves carved into the stone walls of the underground sea cave to hold and store his supplies. The shelves went as high as the ceiling which towered above the entrance, all sorts of things Hunk had made over the years resting on the uppermost levels.

Even from behind the large stone workbench he had, the heat from Hunk’s forge warmed the waters in the cave. Normally Shiro would’ve found the heat unbearable, preferring the cool touch of fresh currents, but it was rare for him to visit Hunk in his workspace, and he knew how much Hunk appreciated surprise visits. Shiro just hadn’t expected Keith and Lance to tag along to see their friend.

“It’s been a while,” Hunk said as he examined a piece of metal he had been hammering, “I thought you guys forgot about me.”

“We’d never forget you buddy!” Lance said, his blue eyes locked on what his friend was making, “Your desserts alone make you unforgettable! Not to mention everything else!”

“Yeah,” Keith echoed, a faint smile playing on his lips while he looked around, “Without you we’d fall apart.”

Shiro hummed in agreement at the comment before focusing on the way Lance swam around with ease, making sharp turns to look at the different toys and small instruments on the shelves. As far as mer coloring went, blue was common and not considered too special, but Lance’s scales shimmered with hints of turquoise, the ones on his arms and neck a deep rich color that matched his fins.

Watching as Keith and Lance struck up a conversation that would most likely turn into an argument, Shiro smiled at the contrast between the two. While Keith was red and Lance blue, that didn’t stop them from being close friends, even if they did have completely opposite personalities. Lance had actually been the first one to give Keith a bracelet made of blue shells. Shiro could remember how proud Lance was to tie the bracelet around Keith’s wrist, explaining how bracelets and necklaces were made and exchanged as a sign of friendship.

Now that he thought about it, Shiro realized that Keith began hunting for small treasures after that, insistent on making bracelets for his friends.

“So,” Hunk said, drawing Shiro out of his thoughts, “Taking Keith to see the stars again?”

Smiling at the question, Shiro nodded and said, “That’s the plan.”

In all honesty, Shiro didn’t know how Hunk or Lance found out about his and Keith’s yearly visits to the surface, but he suspected Matt had a part in it. It was near impossible for the copper scaled mer to keep a secret, especially if it involved tormenting Shiro over his crush. But Shiro knew he wasn’t the only one with one-sided feelings for someone, the way Hunk looked at Lance was proof enough.

“What about you?” Shiro asked, nudging Hunk’s arm, “You plan on asking him out sometime?”

Flushing red at the suggestion, Hunk twisted the ends of his headband around his fingers. It had taken a while for Shiro to figure out from subtle looks and soft smiles that Hunk had fallen for his best friend. It was just painful for Shiro to watch Lance flirt with other mer–badly flirt–and be turned down while Hunk waited to console him.

“Not gonna happen,” Hunk finally said, composing himself enough to give Shiro a mock glare, “He’s busy going after Nyma.”

Snickering at how Hunk said the girl’s name, with sarcasm and a hint of malice, Shiro asked, “How’s that going?”

“Did I hear the name of my lady love?” Lance called, interjecting himself into the conversation, “The woman who is swooning at the mere presence of me?”

Rolling his eyes, Hunk shook his head and stated, “She tried to stab you with your own spear.”

Biting his lip to hold back a laugh, Shiro watched as Keith began to bicker with Lance over what was considered mutual attraction. Turning his attention back to Hunk, Shiro floated over to where the golden mer had begun to examine his project. As far as mer went, Hunk was bigger than most, but his arms were strong and taut with muscles from forge working, and the yellow and gold of his tail only complimented his dark skin tone.

“So,” Shiro began, taking a deep breath as another wave of heat filled the sea cave, “I was wondering how you made that cake from last year?”

Perking up at the idea of baking, Hunk offered a knowing smile before saying, “If you want a birthday cake you just have to ask Shiro. The answer’s always yes.”

“I wasn’t sure,” Shiro said, twisting his fingers in the end of his braid, “You’re busy a lot of the time–”

“Dude,” Hunk interrupted, the orange scales on his hands glinting in the light as he held Shiro’s shoulders, “I like baking, you like it when I bake, give me an excuse to get out of here without Allura getting mad at me.”

Wincing at the reminder, Shiro nodded and clapped Hunk on the shoulder before calling for Keith and Lance to tone it down before they broke something.

* * *

“So how’s it going with loverboy?” Matt asked, a glint in his eye as he smirked.

Groaning at how easily his best friend brought up his crush, Shiro tapped the map be was leaning over and muttered, “I thought we were supposed to be working.”

“We are,” Matt said with a shrug, his copper scales seeming to shift with the movement, “But I figured that you’d be a little interested in sharing your feelings with me.”

“I’d rather talk about Lance’s last rejection,” Shiro smirked, knowing Matt wouldn’t accept his attempt at changing the subject.

The study in the Holt’s home was large with a few open windows for natural light to seep through, but the main source of light came from the small orbs that bounced along the ceiling. Every mer could make the light orbs with some practice and they did the job of illuminating a room well. The glowing balls of light floated around the ceiling in varying colors depending on who made them, and Shiro couldn’t help but like the ones Matt made. Like his scale color Matt’s orbs glowed a soft orange, the only downside to them was that they didn’t last as long as they could’ve. On the other hand, Pidge’s light orbs were a little harsher on the eyes with their pale green glow, but they lasted longer than her brother’s.

But the lights were the least of Shiro’s problems. Aside from attending a family dinner with the Holts–a dinner that Colleen insisted was his early birthday celebration–Shiro had been asked to go over some strategic plans with Matt. Under normal circumstances, Shiro would’ve refused and left Matt to his own devices, especially since the mer was smart enough to do his own work, but when he learned that the assignment was directly from Allura, Shiro changed his mind.

Tapping an area on the map that represented a region of sandbars, Shiro asked, “What does she want with this area? It’s barren.”

“That’s what I said after I scouted it out!” Matt exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air before floating onto his back, “I think she’s a little too paranoid about this galra thing.”

“Maybe,” Shiro mumbled, his attention focused on Matt’s plans.

Ever since Allura received contact from the galra mer kingdom, the princess had been on edge about the situation. In all honesty Shiro could understand her tension, and his stump burned with phantom pain whenever he thought of anyone from the galra kingdom coming into their territory. That was the main reason Allura had assigned each member of the Holt family with border duty, requesting that they and other strategists do their best to divide Altea’s forces to guard and defend her kingdom’s territory.

But that didn’t explain why Allura was worried about a few useless sandbars and the shallows near the cliffs.

Shaking his head, Shiro brushed his hair back from his face before saying, “I think you have it set up just fine. I’d subtract a few men from the eastern coves, but you’re right. This is fine.”

“Good,” Matt sighed, beginning to collect his materials, “You’re the third person I’ve asked.”

“Seriously?” Shiro asked, watching his friend glide throughout the study to grab a few more things, “Who else?”

“Lance for one,” Matt stated as he put a few books back on the shelves, “He’s a guard so he has practical experience. He actually gave me a really cool perspective about the lack of personal training given to–”

“Matt,” Shiro interrupted, hoping to direct the other back to the topic at hand, “Who was the other? Pidge?”

Rolling his eyes, Matt finished shelving his family’s materials before rolling up the royal maps Allura had assigned him.

“Obviously,” Matt said with a shrug, his light brown ponytail floating over his shoulder, “But we both checked each other’s work, so that doesn’t count. It was Keith.”

“Keith?” Shiro asked, perking up at the mention of the name.

Smirking as he caught Shiro’s attention, Matt nodded and said, “Oh yeah. He knows the wrecks better than anyone. Why? Are you interested in talking about him now?”

Pressing his lips together, Shiro felt his face get warm as Matt hit the nail on the head. It wasn’t embarrassing to have Matt know about his feelings for Keith, especially since the younger mer seemed to know before Shiro did, but it was unbearable to suffer through Matt’s constant teasing about it. In some cases it was funny, but other times Shiro could feel himself dying when Matt casually tormented him about it in front of Keith.

“Shut up,” Shiro muttered, turning his attention to Matt’s dim light orbs, “Is dinner ready yet?”

“I dunno,” Matt snickered as he swam in a close circle around Shiro, “Are you ready to confess your feelings? Once you do, I won’t have anything to tease you over.”

“That’s a lie and you know it,” Shiro said, breaking away from Matt to join Colleen in the kitchen in hopes of ditching his friend’s tormenting.

Even though Matt’s singsong jokes carried through the house, Shiro was grateful to spend some time helping Pidge and Colleen finish preparing dinner. The Holts were as good as family to Shiro, and it was blatantly clear to him that they thought the same. Sam often commented that Shiro was the third child he never had, Colleen never hesitated to ask him over for meals or to spend the night, and Pidge felt comfortable enough to show Shiro some of her own inventions.

Just getting to be with the close-knit family for his yearly birthday dinner was still one of Shiro’s favorite presents ever, and the dessert Hunk made really made things come together perfectly. But Shiro didn’t miss the glances Sam and Colleen sent each other throughout the night, obviously caught up in their thoughts about work. It was no secret that the family were Allura’s favored strategists in the kingdom, but it was clear to Shiro that the Holts were pleased to put their assignments aside for the night and just spend time with their family friend.

* * *

The princess’s worries over the galra mer were legitimate, especially since they sent over their prince to negotiate in hopes of gaining Allura’s hand in marriage. Shiro knew from his history lessons that the different mer kingdoms were originally allied until a war broke out, the same war that cost the kingdom King Alfor, the Queen, and so many brave warriors including Shiro’s parents.

It had been years since the war's end, but the tension between the kingdoms was high, and Allura had called on everyone to maintain their borders. From the mer who spoke to sharks like Lance and his family, the underwater forgers like Hunk, and the intelligence gatherers like the Holts to spies and lookouts, Allura made sure nobody in the kingdom was in danger. It was strange that throughout all this, Allura still hadn’t had her coronation to be crowned queen, but the royal advisor Coran made it clear that a celebration of sorts could be postponed but the safety of the people could not.

So when Shiro and Keith were summoned to sit in on a meeting with Allura and the galra prince, Shiro was already on edge. It had been a rouge galra mer who convinced a shark to take his arm, and Shiro would be lying if he said he wasn’t angry about what happened, but that wasn’t the point of the meeting. Allura summoned him for his expertise in reading people, and she requested Keith for the protection he could provide if necessary.

“Allura’s a demon in the sparring ring,” Keith said as they made their way through the large corridors to the throne room, “She doesn’t need me.”

“No she doesn’t,” Shiro agreed, shivering at how formidable an opponent the princess was, “But the news of the altean ruler battling the galra prince is more scandalous than an altean warrior.”

Snorting a laugh at the comment Keith bumped into Shiro, reaching out to hold his hand until they reached the room. It was silly, but Shiro couldn’t help but feel brave facing a galra with Keith around. Even if Keith was suspected to be part marmoran–a group of deepsea galra merfolk who had defected before the war and mingled with other mer–Shiro didn’t bear any hatred towards him. Shiro could never hate Keith. He wasn’t galra, he was just Keith, and nothing would change the way Shiro viewed him.

Silently taking their places on the right hand side of Allura’s throne, Shiro and Keith floated shoulder to shoulder, only beating their tails to keep from sinking to the marble floor. Swallowing hard as a cold fear crawled up his back, Shiro wondered if it was normal to be this scared of a prince who couldn’t even touch him, or if he was just having a breakdown.

“Shiro,” Allura said, her voice soft and directed right at him, “If you need a moment, just head out. We’ll manage.”

A gentle hand pressed against Shiro’s shoulder, and upon looking it was Keith, his indigo eyes filled with concern.

Shaking his head, Shiro pressed Keith’s hand against the stump of what used to be his arm before saying, “I’m fine Princess.”

Nodding in approval, Allura fluffed up her hair so it was floating all around her in a cloud of white. Normally that made her look ethereal and kind, but with the blank expression Allura held she only looked intimidating. Pride swelled in Shiro’s chest at how far Allura had come in her ruling, from a girl thrust into her father’s duties into the woman who had full control over herself and her kingdom. Shiro was proud he got to see his friend mature the way she did, even with the loss of her parents.

Stiffening as Prince Lotor of the Galra was escorted in, Shiro kept his eyes trained on the man in hopes of picking up his intentions. It was interesting to see how Lotor took everything in stride, not hesitating to greet Allura with a deep bow and the sign of his people. Aside from his white hair and handsome features, Lotor’s coloring looked unhealthy. Shiro knew it was common for Galra to come in shades of purples and blues, but Lotor’s lavender scales had a dull grey tint to them, like they hadn’t seen the sun in years and were thirsty for a glimpse of light.

“Princess,” Lotor said, not hesitating to jump into his negotiations, “Have you considered my proposal?”

Listening as Allura and Lotor went back and forth, speaking of a marital alliance, other conditions, and even peace, Shiro could sense Keith by his side the entire time. The gesture warmed the sick feeling in Shiro’s chest, but it also caught the attention of someone else.

“Who are your guards?” Lotor asked, his question coming off as harmless while the interest in his eyes peaked when he spotted Keith.

“Friends,” Allura said plainly, giving Shiro a look that was unreadable, “Why?”

Shaking his head, Lotor swam a bit closer before saying, “I’ve never seen a red mer before. You’re certainly the rarity, aren’t you?”

An unrealistic possessiveness rose up in Shiro while Lotor spoke to Keith. He and Keith weren’t together so Shiro had no right to act like they were, but something deep down in him screamed at Shiro to mark his claim and tell Lotor to get away.

“Lotor,” Allura said, drawing the prince’s attention back to her, “Your discussion is with me. Please refrain from bothering my companions.”

“Of course princess,” Lotor said smoothly, his words as sickly sweet as his smile, “It’s a pity though. If I weren’t here for you I’d ask this man for his hand.”

Whatever had been building in Shiro snapped. Acting on instinct Shiro pushed in front of Keith, using his own body as a shield to keep Lotor away.

“Your negotiations are with the princess,” Shiro said, his voice coming out in a low growl, “She deserves your respect.”

As he turned his full attention back to Allura, Lotor had the gall to look like he had won something. He hadn’t. Even after Keith moved out from behind him, Shiro kept his eyes locked on the galra prince, unwilling to let Lotor get away with even looking at Keith. But that didn’t stop Lotor from looking smug. Even when he left the throne room, the prince cast a smirk towards Shiro that had caused anger to rise up in him.

“I’m so sorry he behaved that way,” Allura said once Lotor was out of earshot, swimming down and pulling her friends into a tight hug, “You two were amazing. Thank you.”

“We didn’t do anything,” Keith said with a smile, one of his arms wrapped around Shiro’s shoulders while the other tangled in Allura’s hair, “Except maybe pissed him off.”

Drawing back, Allura raised an eyebrow before shaking her head and saying, “No. Your presence here helped me stay calm and make rational decisions. You especially Shiro.”

Shuddering at his name, Shiro took a deep breath before meeting the princess’s eyes. Facing a stranger like Lotor who was so interested in Keith caused too many emotions to rise up all at once in Shiro, and now he just felt sick.

Expression softening, Allura twirled a strand of Shiro’s white hair around her dark finger before saying, “Take a rest. You’ve earned it. Things should be calm now, and I’ll let you know if there are any changes.”

Nodding in understanding as Keith swam with him from the throneroom, Shiro leaned into his friend’s reassuring touch. Even as Keith spoke to him–soft gentle words about how proud he was–Shiro could only focus on how Keith held his hand. As he calmed down, Shiro began to focus on what Keith was saying and found that aside from his own insecurities about having Lotor around, the prince was supposed to leave within the next few days.

“Thanks,” Keith said, his grip on Shiro’s hand tightening slightly “For facing him for me. I’d have probably attacked him.”

“Probably?” Shiro asked, a small laugh bubbling out of him, “There’d be nothing left of him if you got your hands on him!”

Smiling in amusement Keith kept his hand in Shiro’s, not letting go even when they left the castle. The sick feeling in Shiro’s gut began to fade the longer Keith spoke, intent on spending the rest of the day with him just swimming and talking.

Allura was right. Shiro did deserve a rest, and things would be okay.

* * *

When Shiro caught word of the party Allura was throwing, he was more than concerned about how the night would go. Even though Allura didn’t call Keith or Shiro to join her, the discussions with Lotor hadn’t ended, and it was clear the princess was throwing the event in hopes of appeasing the prince in some way, especially considering there didn’t seem to be a compromise on the horizon.

But getting to spend a couple hours with Keith in a formal setting was something Shiro was more than willing to accept, especially when the entire ballroom was engaged in song and dance. Normally Shiro didn’t care for parties as extravagant as the ones Allura threw, but the closer the days drew to his birthday and the more time he got to spend with Keith, the more Shiro was willing to indulge himself in the party.

Although the party took place at night, the ballroom was anything but dark. Everyone upon entering the elegant room took a moment to create a few light orbs, all of them floating around the ballroom in different colors and sizes, providing a beautiful glow. Even Shiro held out his hand to create a few sizable purple orbs before allowing them to scatter around the room before his attention was diverted.

“Dance with me,” Keith said, appearing from nowhere with a smile on his face.

Blinking at the suggestion Shiro glanced at the center of the room filled with merfolk dancing above and below each other, some following the traditional dances that went with the songs that were played and some merely reveling in the presence of their partner. Most of the dances involved partners swimming tightly around each other, touching each other’s hands in a pattern that conveyed trust and closeness, but something in Shiro’s gut twisted at the thought of the second part.

“I can’t,” Shiro said, remembering why he stopped dancing at social events, “I’d miss half the moves and–”

“Screw what anyone thinks,” Keith said, cutting to the core of Shiro’s worries, “I just want to be with you.”

Unable to hold back the sharp gasp of breath at Keith’s words, Shiro allowed himself to be pulled into the middle of the room below most of the dancers. Glancing around, Shiro froze in place at how Keith placed both hands on his shoulders and offered him a reassuring smile.

Tucking a loose strand of Shiro’s hair back into its braid, Keith smirked and asked, “Are you going to dance with me or stare all night?”

Smiling at the teasing remark, Shiro grasped Keith’s left hand with his own and began to dance. When Shiro first lost his arm it had taken him some time before he was able to swim normally again by learning to compensate for his missing limb and the uneven weight distribution. But dancing with Keith was easier than Shiro anticipated, swimming close against the red mer’s body and touching his hand against the other’s whenever it felt right.

And Keith didn’t hesitate to raise his own right hand like he was supposed to, but instead of leaving it hovering where Shiro’s should’ve been, Keith placed it against the scarred and damaged stump that remained. That in itself was enough to make Shiro’s eyes burn with tears, but he held them at bay in favor of looking at Keith’s eyes. There was something about Keith’s eyes that reflected his personality in them and their unique color. Maybe it was their not quite purple, not quite blue hue that kept Shiro from surging forward to close the gap between his and Keith’s lips, but Shiro felt captivated in the dance.

So captivated that he almost missed Lotor tap his shoulder.

Snapping out of his trance, Shiro felt himself automatically glare at the prince, his hand tightening around Keith’s protectively. From the moment Shiro arrived in the ballroom, Lotor had been dancing with Allura above everyone, drawing the attention of every mer in the room and obviously trying to talk with the princess about his negotiations.

Holding out a hand to Keith, Lotor flashed a too-sweet smile and asked, “May I cut in?”

Everything in Shiro wanted to say no and continue to dance with Keith, losing himself in the moment and just being with the one he loved. But that wasn’t acceptable, and Shiro knew full well that if push came to shove Keith could hold his own against the prince.

“Sure,” Shiro said, giving Keith one last look before Lotor moved in front, beginning a much more intricate but flashy dance.

Something in Shiro’s chest deflated at seeing the brilliant flash of Keith’s red body moving stiffly against Lotor’s dull lavender.

“Excuse me,” Allura said, swimming up to Shiro with more elegance than should be possible, “But may I have a dance?”

Nodding in approval, Shiro held out his hand and said, “Of course, Princess.”

Gently spinning with Shiro in a smooth dance, Allura offered him a smile and said, “Thank you for coming. I know you and Keith aren’t fond of parties.”

“That’s just Keith,” Shiro said with a smile, “He doesn’t like crowds.”

“I’ve noticed,” Allura smirked, the purple gems of her earrings glinting in the light.

Briefly swimming back from Allura, Shiro glanced upward to where Lotor and Keith were still locked in their dance, obviously talking about something. Bringing his attention back to Allura and his own poor attempt at dancing, Shiro laughed at how the princess circled him tightly, never touching him but always teasing.

“If I may,” Shiro began as he took hold of Allura’s dark hand again, “How are the alliance discussions going?”

Making a face Allura leaned in and whispered, “We couldn’t go along with most of the galra’s treaty requests if we tried. The stones and minerals they have aren’t substantial enough to warrant open trade or a peace alliance.”

“What else?” Shiro asked, glancing at the white and cyan blue jewels in Allura’s crown, “That doesn’t seem like enough to turn down the alliance.”

Shaking her head, Allura’s decorated hair puffed up with the movement and said, “Their military force is the only thing the galra have going for them, and we’re already armed properly.”

“That is a problem,” Shiro mused, smirking as Allura broke away to flip backwards in the water only to rejoin him.

A new smile on her face, Allura glanced up towards Lotor and added in a hushed tone, “I’m not marrying him for the sake of an alliance.”

“Good,” Shiro said firmly, twirling Allura under his arm, “You deserve better.”

Breaking from the routine of the dance, Allura trailed her fingers down Shiro’s cheek in a gentle comforting manner. Ever since Shiro met Allura when they were children the mer had been kind. A bit rambunctious at times, but Allura made it clear that whoever she befriended was someone she would defend and love forever.

Eyes softening a bit, Allura nodded up towards Keith and said, “So do you Shiro.”

Compared to when Matt teased him about his feelings, Allura’s gentle comment was just as knowing and kind as when Hunk mentioned it.

Ducking his head a bit, Shiro mumbled, “Thank you, Princess.”

Laughing lightly, Allura placed her fingers under Shiro’s chin and tipped his head back up to face her, obviously amused by the stiff response. The longer they danced together, the longer Shiro realized why Lotor hadn’t strayed too far from Allura. Aside from her long and big white hair, Allura’s rose quartz and deep pink scales shimmered and drew the eyes of everyone in the room, coupled with her bright and kind personality, Shiro could see why Allura was the center of the party’s attention.

“Still, many of Lotor’s ideas for peace are good,” Allura said, shrugging a bit, “It just seems like his kingdom won’t be as supportive of it as he is. Besides, marrying someone for an alliance is an ancient practice, and I refuse to give up my rulership.”

“Fair enough,” Shiro agreed, knowing Allura would rather die than give up on her people, “You don’t seem like you’re ready to settle down anyway.”

Rolling her eyes at the comment, Allura gave Shiro’s hand a squeeze before looking around the busy room and asking, “Should this be your birthday celebration? I can announce it if you’d like.”

Shaking his head, Shiro began to refuse the offer, not wanting that much attention on him, only for him to realize Allura was kidding.

“You jerk,” Shiro muttered, resisting the urge to say anything that could be taken the wrong way, “Don’t even think about it.”

Throwing her head back in a laugh, Allura drew the attention of everyone with her musical laughter and the way she tapered off into a fit of giggles. Grinning at how easy it was to make the princess laugh, Shiro couldn’t help but spare a glance at Keith who looked like he wanted to abandon the prince and join his friends.

Collecting herself Allura said, “I won’t. At least not this time.”

Drawing back and giving Shiro a bow, Allura finally split off to engage someone else in dance, giving Shiro the chance to hover along the sidelines and watch Keith continue to dance with Lotor. It was more than annoying to see Keith still engaged with Lotor, especially when the prince refused to see that his dance partner wasn’t keeping up with the moves, and it took all Shiro had not to personally drag Keith away.

But upon seeing Keith break away from Lotor with a harsh beat of his tail, Shiro couldn’t help but feel excited as the mer approached him. It didn’t take much prodding for Shiro to rejoin Keith on the dance floor, and it didn’t take long for Shiro to realize how tired and unnerved his friend looked.

“What’s wrong?” Shiro asked, pausing in their dance for a moment to run his fingers through Keith’s decorated hair, “Did he say something?”

“No,” Keith muttered, his eyes narrowed at the mention of Lotor, “He’s just a self-absorbed dumbass.”

“Wow,” Shiro commented with a smile, hoping to lighten Keithsmood, “Those are some big words for someone who matters so little to you.”

Smirking a bit at the comment, Keith leaned forward to rest his head on Shiro’s shoulder for a moment. Even if it was just for a few seconds, Shiro loved the feeling of Keith resting against him for support. Shiro couldn’t imagine how exhausting it must’ve been to suffer through a dance with Lotor for as long as Keith and Allura did, and he honestly didn’t want to, especially with how Keith was making it clear he wanted to spend time with Shiro.

Time seemed to slow when Shiro looked at Keith and danced with him, taking in every detail about the mer that could’ve been overlooked. Small shells had been woven into Keith’s dark hair, their pale color standing out against the soft floating locks and moving with each dance movement as the currents changed. For the second time that night, Shiro had to resist the urge to kiss Keith as people began to leave and the music ended.

Even when he made it back home, all Shiro could do was wish he had another opportunity to dance with Keith, moving together as one with no need to speak. That was always that easy to be around Keith, but the longer Shiro thought about the dances they shared, the more he wanted to throw caution to the wind and admit his feelings to Keith.

* * *

Shiro was used to meeting up with Keith in abandoned wrecks and near the deeper waters, but the reefs were a rare meeting place. Shiro always suspected it was Keith’s deep sea heritage that made him hesitant about the reefs and sensitive to light, but he didn’t hesitate for a moment when he received a note to meet Keith on the edge of the Altean reef to talk and treasure hunt.

When he was younger, Shiro would play with Allura and Matt along the coral reef, darting around the colors and seeing who could win the most at hide and seek, but things were different now. Shiro understood that the reef’s beauty came with a natural barrier that signaled the edge of the Altean kingdom, even though the true border was located in empty sea. But that didn’t stop Shiro from knowing exactly where along the coral Keith would be waiting.

Just as he expected, Shiro found Keith on the deeper side of the reef, the bright colors of the coral and small fish complimenting his own stunning red. Unable to keep from smiling as he called out to the mer, Shiro let his eyes trail over Keith as he turned to face him with a smile of his own. It was nearly impossible for Shiro to take his eyes away from Keith’s face, his feelings towards the other almost too much to bear as he thought his chest would burst with joy.

Until he saw what weighed down around Keith’s neck. Swallowing hard as Keith spoke–his words an inaudible mumble–Shiro wondered if this is what drowning felt like, because Keith wasn’t just wearing a necklace. He was wearing a courting necklace.

Something gripped Shiro’s throat and made it impossible to speak as he stared at the jewelry. The necklace was beautiful, made of the most elegant black and purple sea glass and shells Shiro had seen in years, but that didn’t excuse the fact that Keith was wearing something given to him by someone else who meant to mate with him.

“Shiro,” Keith said, his face paler than usual as he recognized what Shiro was staring at, “It’s not–”

“I forgot to do something,” Shiro managed, amazed that he was able to say anything, “I’ll catch up.”

A flash of irritation crossed Keith’s face as he swam forward, one hand reaching out to hold Shiro’s while the other clutched the necklace. Swallowing hard, Shiro turned and beat his tail as hard as he could to get away before he tore the necklace off Keith and left a mark of his own, one that would last long enough for them to bond.

Shiro lost track of time as he swam, adrenaline rushing through his veins as he pushed himself to go harder and faster. A sore ache ate away at Shiro’s chest, and for a moment he wondered if this was how Hunk felt most of the time. Seeing the one he loved chase after someone else was something Shiro could never comprehend until now, but for Keith to accept a proposal from someone else…it seemed impossible. As he slowed, Shiro took in his surroundings and let his shoulders drop into a relaxed position as he realized he was far enough away from anyone to cause harm.

But the image of the courting necklace burned itself into Shiro’s mind and caused a hot burst of anger to rise in his chest. The black and purple decoration Keith had been given was beautiful, but it was all wrong and didn’t match Keith’s personality or his scales unless–

“He didn’t want to,” Shiro whispered to himself, blinking as he connected the dots.

Even though it had been years since he had been accepted into the mer kingdom, Keith’s heritage was still a shaky subject when it came to some of the older more traditional members of the community. If Keith had been given a proposal and refused to accept it–if he turned down an eligible suitor–that would be more than enough of a reason for the elders to shun him. It would be up to Allura to banish him, and although the princess would never do that, Keith’s standing in the community would be tarnished for turning down a perfectly suitable mate.

And Shiro knew who would make such a selfish proposal.

It made sense that even if Lotor had been denied Allura’s hand in marriage, that didn’t mean he couldn’t go after the next person he took a fancy to. The events at the party quickly fell into place as Shiro thought about the way Lotor engaged Keith in a tense dance, to the when Keith refused to go near the prince for the rest of the night. From the moment they met in the throneroom, Shiro had seen the way Lotor looked at Keith, admiring his coloring more than his personality and seeing him as a beautiful accessory or a challenge to be conquered instead of a friend and a partner. Only Lotor would be so selfish to make Keith a courting necklace in colors that barely matched his own scale colors.

Clenching his fist at the thought of Keith having to bond with Lotor, Shiro scanned the sand as a new idea formed in his mind. He wasn’t good at bracelet or necklace making, anyone would admit that, but if there was one thing Shiro was good at, it was getting what he wanted. And all he wanted was for Keith to have the ability to choose his future. And for that to happen, there was only one thing Shiro could do, even if it cost him his friendship with Keith and potentially ruined their future.

He’d have to throw a challenge wand and battle Lotor.

* * *

The black sands were a rare place for mer to visit, but Shiro knew for a fact that they held the small treasures he wanted to use to make Keith a courting necklace that was right for him. It took maybe an hour to swim out this far, but for Keith the trip was well worth it, and gave him time to think about his intent to challenge Lotor.

For years Slav–the octopus mer who knew everything–the royal librarian talked about how challenge wands caused more trouble than some people bargained for, but Shiro knew the basics. The wand was meant to be carved like a totem with three symbols that represented the head, hand, and heart. When Shiro first learned about what challenge accompanied each symbol alongside Allura, he had been amazed that only four wands had ever been made. But a history lesson wasn’t his priority, Shiro’s real focus was on making a courting necklace that was perfect for Keith.

Even though he wasn’t as skilled at making jewelry as some, for once Shiro had a plan for this necklace, and although his eye for the right accessories wasn’t as keen as Keith’s he knew what he was looking for. Instead of blacks and purples, Keith deserved the brightest and deepest reds in his necklace, made of shells and sea glass in the color of his scales and fiery personality. Keith was like fire and the sun, dangerous and bright but also warm and strong, protective to a fault, and one in a million.

It was actually amusing how quickly Shiro filled his pouches with the sea glass and shells he found, all of them in different shades of red and some of them a faded pink, but he was satisfied with how much he collected. As far as actually challenging Lotor went, Shiro hadn’t gotten there. Shiro knew from experience that Lotor wouldn’t budge on courting Keith, so a wand would be necessary, and the piece of driftwood Shiro found on the way back to his home seemed like it would be a suitable medium.

But that wasn’t the priority. Emptying his pouches on his counter Shiro began to root through his finds, sorting the shells and glass before arranging them in a way that would look best once the necklace was fully assembled. When it came to actually stringing each piece, making sure the shells were secure and the glass was held in by twine, Shiro struggled with one hand. Internally Shiro cursed himself for not being able to make Keith a necklace properly, working with both hands and drilling small holes through the sea glass to ensure they didn’t come loose or break, but it would do.

All in all, Shiro was proud of how the necklace was coming along. He could hear Matt’s teasing now, going on about how hopelessly in love he was and teasing Shiro over slaving over an object like this. But Matt never meant harm, and Shiro knew full well that his best friend would help him assemble the necklace if he asked. But this was a task for him to complete, to prove to himself that he was worthy of Keith, which brought Shiro to the next part of his plan. It was one thing to outright challenge Lotor, but Shiro had to make sure that he wasn’t jumping to conclusions. If Keith for whatever reason wanted Lotor–no matter how ridiculous the thought was–Shiro wasn’t going to stand down, but still thought it best to talk to Keith and ask first.

As soon as he finished making the necklace and carving the challenge wand, Shiro would find and ask Keith about it. That was the plan at least, and sometimes things came up that caused Shiro’s plans to be washed away with the current.

By the time Shiro finished tying off the ends of the red necklace, the colors almost as bright as Keith’s scales, night had fallen. From midday to evening Shiro had worked on this, fueled by adrenaline and his emotions, and his hard work had shown itself. With his home illuminated by small orbs of purple tinted light bouncing around his ceiling, Shiro could see how much effort went into his courting necklace. The twine was messy, and some of the thin metal wire he twisted in patterns to keep some of the sea glass in place needed to be smoothed out a touch, but it was enough.

Feeling his body sag with exhaustion, Shiro cast a glance at the driftwood he intended to make his wand out of before turning away from it. There was enough time in the morning to begin carving that, and with one hand the task would be harder than making any necklace. As he settled into bed, the currents coaxing him into sleep with the songs that were carried within them, Shiro changed his plan. He’d ask Keith about Lotor in the morning. Then if he was rejected, he wouldn’t have wasted too much time carving a challenge wand he’d never use.

As he slept, Shiro dreamed of Keith swimming under the sunlight, a smile on his face and the waves in his hair.

* * *

The sun had begun to set by the time Shiro gave up on his futile attempt at carving challenge wand and found Keith wandering through one of the older shipwrecks. It was always dark around the older deeper wrecks, but the sunlight was enough to glint off Keith’s scales and show Shiro exactly where he was. Shiro had given up on his poor attempts at carving his challenge wand for the time being, the difficulty of handling the knife and wood with one hand was too strenuous when he had someone more important to talk to.

The last thing Shiro thought would happen was for Keith to surge towards him demanding an explanation for his behavior.

“You just left!” Keith snapped, his eyes narrowed on Shiro, “I was trying to tell you–”

“I know what happened,” Shiro interrupted, knowing full well how much Keith hated being cut off mid-sentence, “You didn’t want to, and I wouldn’t either, but I can help.”

If the look of confusion on Keith’s face meant anything, Shiro didn’t comprehend it as he pressed on.

“Lotor’s a complete ass,” Shiro said as be fumbled with the belt pouch around his waist, “And I’ll challenge him for you, that way he’ll leave you alone–”

“What?” Keith asked, like he didn’t know what was going on, “What are you talking about?”

Faltering at the question, Shiro clasped the courting necklace he made and wondered if he had been wrong about something. Keith never cut him off unless he was rambling or wasn’t making sense, and he still looked so perplexed as to what Shiro was talking about.

Crossing his arms over his chest, Keith floated a little closer to ask, “Shiro? What’re you talking about?”

Swallowing her nerves, Shiro noticed how bare Keith’s neck was, the purple and black courting necklace gone. Unable to find words, Shiro heard himself stammer for a moment before Keith slid a hand up to his face, cupping his cheek while fixing his dark eyes on Shiro’s expectantly, but not unkindly.

Taking a breath to calm himself, Shiro explained, “Lotor’s proposal to you. I know you don’t want that and I’ll challenge him for rights so he’ll have to leave you alone.”

Even though his hand didn’t move from Shiro’s face, Keith’s eyes widened slightly as he breathed, “What?”

Pressing on, Shiro nodded and pulled out the red necklace he made and said, “And I made this for you so you don’t have to wear his. I know it’s messy, but I tried. And I haven’t gotten to the wand yet, but I thought you’d want to know–”

Everything stopped as Keith crashed his lips against Shiro’s, pressing in close and twisting his lean body and tail around Shiro’s with no hesitation. It didn’t even take a second before Shiro was kissing back, keeping his hand against Keith’s neck while his fingers threaded their way into the dark hair.

Then Keith broke the kiss by drawing back a hairsbreadth, leaving enough room to speak but staying close enough that Shiro could almost feel the movement of his lips.

“You’re an idiot,” Keith smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement and something Shiro would compare to adoration, “The necklace was for you.”

Letting the reality of Keith’s words sink in, Shiro’s jaw dropped as he asked, “What?”

Pressing his forehead against Shiro’s, Keith said with an accent of laughter, “I made it for you. I’ve been trying to flirt with you for months, but you never seemed to notice. I figured I needed to be a little more obvious.”

Flushing at the admission, Shiro ran his hand down Keith’s arm before asking, “What about Lotor?”

Drawing back a bit, Keith’s nose scrunched up in disgust at the mention of the prince while he said, “What about him?”

“Didn’t he propose to you?” Shiro asked, confused about the galra mer’s involvement, “At Allura’s party?”

The amusement on Keith’s face was quickly replaced by a heavy stare of disbelief.

Waiting for a moment, as if he was expecting the punchline to a joke, Keith crossed his arms before sighing heavily, “I really did fall in love with a dumbass.”

“I’m not that dumb,” Shiro protested, only for Keith to grab his shoulders and look him dead in the eyes.

“Lotor wanted to talk about my heritage,” Keith said with a bite of resentment, “Nothing more.”

“Oh,” Shiro said, heat creeping up his neck, “I really misinterpreted things.”

“You did,” Keith agreed, cracking a lopsided smile.

Embarrassment at the misunderstanding aside, the currents around Shiro seemed to still long enough for him to comprehend something else Keith said.

“You love me?” Shiro all but shouted, the necklace he made for Keith feeling light around his wrist, “For real?”

Groaning a bit, Keith nodded as a blush tinted his skin and said, “Yeah. At least I think I do. I might just like having you around to bother.”

“You don’t bother me,” Shiro said with a smile, his anxiety fading as his confidence took hold, “I love you too.”

Not waiting for Keith to say anything, Shiro cautiously held out the necklace he made, the sea glass illuminating with what light there was while the shells stood out brightly. It was a simple offering, and not nearly as good as it should’ve been for Keith, but Shiro couldn’t help but feel happy that something good came of his mess up.

“You mean it?” Keith asked, looking from the necklace up at Shiro, his fingers twitching to take the gift, “It’s mine?”

“If you’ll have me too,” Shiro said softly, pressing the strand of treasures into Keith’s hands.

And then Shiro was being kissed again, Keith’s mouth against his with one hand gripped the necklace and the other holding onto Shiro like a lifeline. There was no doubt in Shiro’s mind that this kind of response was Keith’s way of saying yes, which made something in his stomach flip with excitement. All Shiro could do was kiss back and curl his hand against his Keith’s back in an attempt to engrain the feeling of that moment into his body and memory, loving every second of how Keith fit against him as they held each other under the waves.

* * *

“You were really going to confess with a courting necklace?” Shiro asked with a smile.

“Shut up,” Keith muttered as he splashed Shiro, “I didn’t see you making any moves.”

“Fair enough,” Shiro snickered, swimming in a slow circle around Keith.

Just like Shiro wanted, the sky was clear and the moon and stars perfectly visible. Running his hand through his damp hair, Shiro let his fingers trail along his own necklace, the sea glass smooth beneath his fingers. Now that Shiro knew Keith made it for him, he couldn’t understand why he didn’t recognize Keith’s craftsmanship the first time he saw the necklace of black and purple, but he was more than pleased to wear it. Just like Keith’s red necklace matched his coloring, Shiro’s did too, only it felt much more beautiful than anything he thought he’d get to keep.

Alternating pieces of shells and sea glass made up Shiro’s necklace, the different shades of purple varying from the deep violet of Shiro’s tail to the brighter paler scales along his shoulders and neck. Shiro knew how rare black sea glass was and how much trouble it was to find, but Keith still managed to collect enough pieces to represent the black of Shiro’s scales along his arms. Fingering the black and purple shells with care, Shiro spared a glance up at the moon and how it seemed to smile down at him, the waxing crescent shining its silver light down upon the waves.

“It’s nice tonight,” Shiro said, taking a deep lungful of the air around him, “I’ve missed this.”

“Me too,” Keith said, his body cutting through the black water with ease, leaving ripples behind, “We should do this more often.”

Contemplating the suggestion Shiro relaxed into the water, allowing the slight waves to lap around him while the deeper currents tugged at his tail. Relaxing in the moonlight was glorious, and certainly something Shiro loved doing for his birthday.

“When were you thinking?” Shiro asked, not wanting the treat of coming to the surface to lose its special feeling.

Floating on his back Keith stretched his arms out in the water and said, “Whenever you decide. If we did it too often it wouldn’t be unique.”

A breath of relief escaped Shiro upon hearing that Keith agreed with him, and silently he thought of a date they could resurface. Like his birthday, Shiro wanted to spend the time above the water with Keith on a special day, something worth celebrating.

“Okay,” Shiro said as an idea dawned on him, “Your birthday. We’ll do it then too.”

Under the luminescence of the moon, Keith looked even more breathtaking than usual. Swallowing hard, Keith let one of his hands tangle in his hair weighed down around his shoulders, uncertain about Shiro's suggestion.

“Shiro, this is your thing. You don’t have to make it about me.”

“I want to,” Shiro said, swimming close enough to Keith to feel his breath on his chest, “You’re important to me, and I want to share what I love with you.”

Glancing up at Shiro with no hesitance, Keith let out a breath of laughter and splashed him before snickering, “You’re such a sap!”

“Only for you,” Shiro said, letting his voice carry across the top of the water like a song.

Keith was the only person Shiro would ever spend his favorite night of the year with, and Keith was the only one Shiro wanted to share his life with.

**Author's Note:**

> There we go! I hope you guys liked this! Please check me out as sleepyssnail on both my [tumblr](https://sleepyssnail.tumblr.com/) and my [instagram](https://www.instagram.com/sleepyssnail/) if you want to send me some prompts for writing or edits!


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